[Testing] M4 vs M4 Pro Mac mini, not so different?

[Populus]

Hello,

I’ve managed to get both the base M4 Mac mini with 16GB of RAM and a base M4 Pro Mac mini with 24GB of RAM.

I’m testing both machines for, especially, running Windows games and game console emulation. But I can do any other test you need to, as long as I don’t have to purchase the software (so no Adobe stuff), for the next 2-3 days.

The first things that are striking me are:

- The M4 Pro runs much hotter, which makes sense.
- The regular M4 runs the first game I’ve tried over Heroic Games launcher (the outer wilds) at the same frame rate as the M4 Pro, although the apparent resolution is set to 1080p while on the M4 Pro was set at 1440p or maybe higher, I don’t remember. The M4 runs it at very high, while the M4 Pro runs it at just high.

- Interestingly, using the same 4K display, the M4 Pro shows me different “resolution” scales than the M4. And on the M4, those that are not direct multiples of the base resolution look very slightly blurry, while this doesn’t happen on the M4 Pro, where all the scaling options I’ve tried look as crisp as the native 4K. However, both look gorgeous and I’m still wondering if the slightly blurriness on the M4 is just my imagination.

 

[blufrog]

What orientation are they in? I'm running mine upside down, and it is cool and yet to make any noise.

For comparison, I have a mini PC next to it, and the fan on that is loud any time it starts. Nothing out of the Mini yet!

 

[hajime]

- Interestingly, using the same 4K display, the M4 Pro shows me different “resolution” scales than the M4. And on the M4, those that are not direct multiples of the base resolution look very slightly blurry, while this doesn’t happen on the M4 Pro, where all the scaling options I’ve tried look as crisp as the native 4K. However, both look gorgeous and I’m still wondering if the slightly blurriness on the M4 is just my imagination.

Can you post screenshots on the difference resolution lists?

 

[Populus]

Can you post screenshots on the difference resolution lists?

Yes, give me a moment

 

[Populus]

What orientation are they in? I'm running mine upside down, and it is cool and yet to make any noise.

For comparison, I have a mini PC next to it, and the fan on that is loud any time it starts. Nothing out of the Mini yet!

Nah, I’m not saying it is loud, but the M4 Pro is noticeably hotter. The M4 is quite cool most of the time, and sometimes gets warm at most.

 

[hajime]

Yes, give me a moment

Please also let us know which port on the M4 and M4 Pro as well as the cable you are using.

 

[Populus]

Please also let us know which port on the M4 and M4 Pro as well as the cable you are using.

Same on both models, that’s for sure. I’m using the same HDMI 2.1 that it’s on both versions, the M4 and M4 Pro. Connected to the same port on the monitor.

As for the cable, it is a certified UGREEN 2.1 HDMI cable.

As soon as I power down the M4 and plug the M4 Pro again, I’ll upload the screenshots of the resolutions/scaling

 

[Populus]

Can you post screenshots on the difference resolution lists?

Here are the resolutions of the base M4 Mac mini connected to my 4K display:

And this, some screenshots from the M4 Pro Mac mini connected to the same 4K display:

 

[Populus]

I think I'm keeping the M4 Pro, if after my exhausting tests the 24GB of RAM are enough. I hate Apple for not letting us choose a middle step such as 32 or 36GB of RAM but... Apple 🤷🏻

The reasons to keep the M4 Pro instead of the M4: The Thunderbolt 5 ports, the greater flexibility as for screen resolutions, having better graphics on some games I've purchased (Myst and Riven), and double the CPU cores that will help me when I use Handbrake. And for me, the price difference between the 1TB/32GB M4 and the 1TB/24GB M4 Pro is just 300€. If we want to compare Apple's to Apples (24GB on both), the difference is 500€, but I would definitely get the 32GB model of the base M4 Mac mini.

 

[hajime]

From the product pages it seems the M4 Pro has more recent version of DP but at 4K, both should be the same. Perhaps somebody more knowledgeable can answer this.

 

[Populus]

From the product pages it seems the M4 Pro has more recent version of DP but at 4K, both should be the same. Perhaps somebody more knowledgeable can answer this.

Let me remind you that I’m using literally the same HDMI 2.1 cable on both. Not Display Port protocol but HDMI.

 

[EugW]

Here are the resolutions of the base M4 Mac mini connected to my 4K display:

View attachment 2470171
View attachment 2470172
View attachment 2470173

And this, some screenshots from the M4 Pro Mac mini connected to the same 4K display:

View attachment 2470174
View attachment 2470175

View attachment 2470176
View attachment 2470179

This is interesting, but in retrospect it does sort of make sense. It seems the M4 Pro has more reserve for higher resolutions. You'll notice that the resolution options below 3008x1692 are the same for the M4 and M4 Pro, but the resolution options above 3008x1692 simply don't exist for the M4. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe what the Mac mini is doing is running at 2X the listed resolution (or 4X, depending upon your definition), and then downscaling to 4K for your monitor.

The Apple Pro Display XDR is 6016x3384, and that 3008x1692 option is exactly 2X/4X scaled down from that. IOW, the M4 Mac mini with macOS are designed specifically to support the Apple Pro Display XDR at full resolution, but not necessarily more.

Going above 3008x1692 to say 3200x1800 would mean the Mac mini would have to render that at 6400x3600 and then scale that down to 3840x2160. It seems macOS isn't set up to do that with the M4 even though on paper it should be able to handle up to 8K over HDMI. OTOH, these additional higher resolution options are offered for the M4 Pro.

In my case, the missing higher resolution options are less of a concern, since I'm more interested in resolutions lower than 3008x1692. I may consider the new LG 6K monitor if the price is right, but instead of running it at native 3008x1692 (or whatever it will be), I'm thinking about running it at say 2880x1620. At 2X/4X rendering, that would be 5760x3840, which would then be scaled up to 6016x3384. The only problem here is that I don't think macOS will offer these resolution options between 2560x1440 and 3008x1692 natively. I'd have to run third part software to get those resolution options.

 

[blufrog]

My M4 Pro runs my 4K TV at native 1K and 4K resolutions, and scales intermediate resolutions.

I'm actually running it at 2K scaled, and it looks amazing. Better than Windows at 4K native.

M4 Pro has TB5. Not sure if there are any changes on the HDMI side.

 

[EugW]

Even fewer options with the 27" 5K Studio Display - 16 GB M4 Mac mini / Sequoia 15.3



Max scaled rez is 2880x1620. Not even 3008x1692 is available.